Andromeda (2000–2005): Season 3, Episode 10 - The Unconquerable Man - full transcript

[SOMBRE MUSIC PLAYING]

HARPER: Dead man walking.

Dead man walking.

Walking the mile,
walking the mile.

For your consideration, boss,
one corpse.

Gaheris Rhade.

[SERIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

HARPER: Aside from the hole
in the chest and a little bit
of freezer burn,

and the fact
that he's kind of creepy,
he's in pretty good shape.

Given that
he's been stored down here
for almost three years.

Good.



The Rhade family
may want to view the body

before they bury him.

I've got to hand it
to you, boss.

You're quite a boy scout.

Well, I don't know
that I'd be handing over
his cadaver so quick

for a hero's burial.

I mean, this is the guy
that tried to kill you, right?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[BOTH GRUNTING]

Strange.
What?

Us standing here
over a dead Nietzschean on ice?

Yeah, it's strange,
but it's also kind of nice,
isn't it?

No, no, it's the...

scar.



I don't remember it.

Huh.

Well, maybe
you never noticed it before.

ANDROMEDA: Dylan,
Admiral Telemachus Rhade
and the Tarazed delegation

are now in approach
for landing.

Acknowledged.
Tell them that I will...

Andromeda, I've found
the tesseract machine.

I'm about to destroy it.

I wouldn't do that
if I were you.

Beka, who the hell is this?

I'm Trance,

and I've come here to tell you
that if you destroy
this machine,

your mission

and all that you have done
to further it

will have been for nothing.

I think
you should listen to her.

I've got a man about to die

and a ship tearing itself apart

because of this machine.

Do better.

Then remember.

Remember why
this happened,

how you got here.

I'm detecting
over 10,000 enemy vessels.

What?

500 are already
within combat radius.

All of them appear to be
of Nietzschean design.

10,000 ships?

It must've taken years
to gather a force this big.

Sir, I recommend
we deploy nova bombs.

This system is inhabited.

I will not use
strategic weapons

no matter how many ships
we're up against.

As you wish.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Given the circumstances,

I should be confined to the brig

along with other Nietzscheans
in the crew.

Are you telling me
I can't trust you?

I'm saying you can't afford
to take any chances.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

Rotate ship to comm...

Commander?

[FIRING]

[GRUNTING AND GROANING]

[ALARM SOUNDING]

[MELANCHOLIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

DYLAN: The universe
is a dangerous place,

but in our future,

my crew and I fight
to make it safe.

I am Dylan Hunt,

captain of the
Andromeda Ascendant,

and these are our adventures.

[OPENING THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

What have you done?

I tried to warn him.

So did I,

but your sabotage
proved quite effective.

Unfortunately, for you,
it had another effect.

[ALARM SOUNDING]

The black hole.

Approaching the event horizon
in three,

two,

one...

[WIND WHOOSHING]

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

[TENSE, GRIPPING MUSIC PLAYING]

Andromeda, report.

You may not like
what I've done...

What you've done
is betray your oath
and murder your captain.

I am the senior officer aboard
and you're my AI.

You've seized this ship
without authorization.

I refuse to acknowledge
your commands.

Report or be erased.

I'm in command.

Fine, Commander.

We're on an escape trajectory
from the black hole's
gravity well,

but there's no sign
of the Nietzschean fleet
or our escape pods,

and we've experienced
more severe time dilations

from the black hole
than anticipated.

How severe?

We were trapped
for over 300 years...

[ALARM SOUNDING]

And by the way,

we're being boarded.

It looks like
some sort of rag-tag team

under the command
of that nightsider.

Four of them are not a threat.

Not even the magog?

He looks like a monk.

He and his friends,
we'll interrogate later.

The rest, we eliminate.

What about
the Nietzschean?

I'll deal with him.

You've certainly
got your hands full.

Look, I'll make you a deal.

If our boarders
are from the Commonwealth,

I'll surrender.

And if the Nietzscheans
won the war?

Then I'll give you a choice.

Then you know
what my answer will be.

All right.

Wandering all alone
on a high guard starship.

You're a brave little man.

We saw her first.

Open salvage. Finders keepers.

Salvage.

The Commonwealth sent you?

Commonwealth?

Wait a minute.

You're with
the original crew, right?

You got stuck in time,
didn't you?

Oh, man,
I've got news for you, pal.

There is no Commonwealth.

There hasn't been a Commonwealth
for over 300 years.

Then this is
a Nietzschean empire.

Nietzschean empire?

Please, stop. You're killing me.

Stop it! You're killing me.

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

Brexos,

link up with Varastaya
on deck four

and fall back
to cargo bay three.

We'll regroup and...

[STATIC CRACKLING]

Brexos?

Brexos!

RHADE: Your friends
won't answer you.

They're dead,

the nightsider, too.

Friends?

What would make you think
they were my friends?

Well done.

Maybe not everyone here
is inferior after all.

If you were going to kill me,
you'd have done so already.

Let's have a look at you.

I kept you alive
because you'll help me
save the universe.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

RHADE: Mission log, day 62.

While the crew
of the Eureka Maru

lack military discipline,

recruiting them has worked out
better than I expected.

HARPER: Okay, so after
a mountain of work,

a few trips into the VR matrix,

and countless
mind-numbing detours

into the ins and outs
of game theory,

finally, I just threw
the book out and downloaded
the whole damn thing.

Add a little
artificial intelligence,

and...I've finally
cooked up

that go partner for you, Chief.

Show me.

Okay.

Hey, Gaheris.

Up for a game today?

Huh?

You give me a corpse
from down in deep freeze

and I give you
a worthy go partner

with all the knowledge
and memories
I could dig up or extrapolate.

[SOMBRE MUSIC PLAYING]

You're kind of creepy,
you know that?

If you ask me,

which you didn't,

so here you go.

For a man who killed
his captain and best friend

without saying a word,

you certainly seem reluctant
to let him go.

I did what I had to do.

For what?

For the Commonwealth?

The glory
of the Nietzschean people?

Look around you, Commander.

You killed him for nothing.

ANDROMEDA: Prepare
to enter slipstream.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[GRIPPING MUSIC PLAYING]

Look out!

What the hell
have you people done
to my ship?

We're in
the witchhead nebula.

According to Themaru's
historical records,

it's the site
of the last major battle

between the high guard
and the Nietzschean alliance.

Both sides battled it out
to mutual annihilation,

leaving a power vacuum

that paved the way
for three centuries of chaos.

Interesting, but irrelevant.

Have Beka head
to the nearest slippoint.

We'll leave as soon
as repairs are complete.

I'm detecting another ship
in the nebula.

It's one of ours,

the Renewed Valor.

Yezgar's ship...

in our time frame.

That's impossible.

Impossible though it may be,
she's hailing us.

Maintain radio silence.

You may wish to reconsider

when you see the message
she's transmitting.

[SOMBRE MUSIC PLAYING]

Admiral Stark has ordered
every remaining high guard ship

to assemble here.

In two days,
we're heading straight
for Fountainhead

to take out
the Nietzschean homeworld.

They're not in our time frame,

we're in theirs.

Somehow, we've gone back
in time.

To less than 48 hours
before the battle of Witchhead,

and we're stuck
right in the middle of it.

Our course of action
is obvious,

help the Nietzscheans,

restore the universe
to order.

So everyone can live
under Nietzschean jackboots

for the next 300 years?
No offense, captain.

What you're both forgetting
is that it may not matter
what we do.

Some theories of time travel

assert that there is
one fixed timeline,

which once fixed
can never be changed.

A man makes his own fate.

Well, even if history
is endlessly mutable,

there's no guarantee
that our actions,

whatever they may be,
won't make matters worse.

Speculating on physics
is pointless.

Our own actions
are all we can control.

Indeed,

and our next action
will be to leave Witchhead

and return
to our own time...

immediately.

[SOMBRE MUSIC PLAYING]

All systems are back on-line

even without Harper's help.

Beka and Trance think
they can retrace her route

and return us
to our point of origin.

We're ready to go.

Finally.

Prepare for slipstream,

but first, send a message
to the Renewed Valour.

Tell her
her orders have changed.

She is to follow us
into slipstream

to a new rally point.

Are you asking me to lie
to fellow high guard officers?

I'm asking you
to save their lives.

One more ship here
won't make a difference,

but in the future...

Dylan and Yezgar were close.

Difficult questions
will be asked.

Is that what you want?

What I want

is to make sure
no more of my friends die
in vain.

ANDROMEDA: The Renewed Valor
is setting a new course.

Congratulations, captain.

it looks like they bought it.

Wait, a new slipstream event.

Onscreen.

Hundreds of Nietzschean ships
are targeting the Valor.

Set a course to intercept.

Another dead friend...

There's more.

Themaru's historical records

indicate a fleet
of 500 Nietzschean ships

fought at Witchhead.

I'm detecting
over 1,500 Nietzschean ships
in the nebula.

With a fleet this size...

the high guard
doesn't stand a chance.

[SOMBRE MUSIC PLAYING]

DYLAN: Pondering
your next move?

Ponder faster.
I'm getting bored.

I think Harper built you
too well.

You're agonizing
over a moral choice

which you know is obvious.

You know
about the Nietzschean fleet?

You're a hell
of a go player, Gaheris,

but you're not much
of a strategist.

Well, then, enlighten me.

You think
saving the Nietzscheans

might mean less chaos
and fewer deaths
in the long run,

but you're wrong.

The Nietzscheans' problem
was never the size
of their fleets.

A bigger armada

just means more blood,
more death, and more destruction

when they inevitably
turn on one another.

You have the means
to prevent that.

Harper can
build it for you.

You just have to decide
to use it.

You're advising me
to massacre my own people.

I'm not advising you
to do anything.

[DARK MUSIC PLAYING]

I'm just playing a game.

It's your move.

Look, an AP fusion catalyst
isn't exactly a precise weapon,
you know.

It's not going to work
with the fleet scattered
halfway across the nebula.

Unless you can get them all
to line up nicely
to be incinerated.

I'll see what I can do.

What?

You're serious?

Just get
the catalyst working.

You do your job,
I'll do mine.

ANDROMEDA: The Nietzschean
fleet has moved within range.

Arrest the attack.

Catalyst on standby.

[GRIPPING MUSIC PLAYING]

REV BEM: Nietzschean ships
are in position.

BEKA: Gaheris?

Captain?

Captain.

Engage.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Beka, best speed
to the nearest slippoint.

Get us out of here.

You wanted something?

Only to ask you how it must feel
to go down in history

as the greatest butcher
of the Nietzschean people

that ever lived.

Who could have ever guessed

that the angel of death

that struck down
the Nietzschean alliance

was one of our own?

It's funny how things work out.

You find betraying our people,
all our people...

funny?

Our people.

Our people were meant
to be living gods,

warrior poets
who roamed the stars

bringing civilization.

Not cowards and bullies
who prey on the weak

and kill each other for sport.

[SOMBRE MUSIC PLAYING]

I never imagined
they'd prove themselvesso...

inferior.

I didn't betray our people.

They betrayed themselves.

[SAD MUSIC PLAYING]

You know this
better than anyone.

GAHERIS: Mission log,

day 401.

To date,
my efforts to restore order
to the known worlds

have returned
less-than-optimal results.

DYLAN: Oh, less-than-optimal?

You've always had
a way with words, Gaheris.

Are you saying
I talk too much?

Maybe so, but I still win.

At least you're honest
with yourself.

Of course I am.

The only way for a Nietzschean
to improve himself

is to engage
in continual self-assessment.

For example?

The magog threat, for one.

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

They're worlds, 20 of them,

joined into some kind
of structure.

Those worlds, they're hollow,
and they're full of magog,

trillions of them.

One would think
that would be enough

to convince the doubters

that they need a strong
organized central government

with an adequate military.

I see.

It's all about politics.

Everything's about politics.

Everything?

Friends? Family?

Everything.

Besides,

what's left of my family
is hardly worth mentioning.

Ah, your pride.

The entire Nietzschean race.

You will need them,
you know.

You can't expect to impose
civilization on the known worlds
without their support.

They've offered.

I said no.

Of course you did.

It's because
you don't trust them.

I trust them
to be Nietzscheans,

and Bolivar
hasn't disappointed me.

He's blackmailing the leaders
of potential member worlds,

making them reluctant
to sign on.

Nietzscheans used to say we act

out of enlightened
self-interest.

The problem
with Bolivar and his Ilk

is that they've forgotten
the most important word...

Enlightened.

And yet, you let Tyr stay here

where he can do you
the most harm.

You know the old saying.

"Keep your friends close.

"Keep your enemies
under constant surveillance."

How constant?

Tyr stole the bones
of Drago Musevini

from the Drago-Kazov.

Yes, and stowed them
in storage area 15.

The Dragans are still trying
to get them back.

He caught you
with your pants down.

No, Tyr is a Nietzschean
and a Kodiak.

I find his actions
utterly predictable.

Well, if you keep
the bones here,

you might as well
paint a target
on this ship.

There is already a target
on this ship,

and Tyr's holding the gun.

[SOMBRE MUSIC PLAYING]

Then you'll have to deal
with him.

And I mean to.

You wanted to see me?

I think you know
what this is about.

Tyr.

I don't know, Gaheris.

You think the timing is wrong?

No.

This.

This is wrong.

This is not
what I signed on for.

Things are not
what I thought they'd be,

things I can't get
out of my head.

Things I can't tell myself
are okay.

Like what?

Like Acheron...

when I took off
after that stray cargo ship.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

It's time.

I figured.

I've enjoyed
talking to you, Beka.

I won't insult you
by asking for your surrender.

If you want,
I can relay any
last messages you have

for your friends or family.

Is there anything
that you'd like
to say to them?

Yes.

I'm sorry.

[PULSE BEACON SOUNDING]

[GASPING]

[EXPLOSION]

She was trying
to kill you.

You didn't have a choice.

That's exactly the problem.

I guess what
I'm trying to tell you is...

I can't do this anymore.

You're leaving?

I need to go someplace
I can clear my head...

someplace that isn't here.

I understand.

Do you?

I learned the hard way.

You shouldn't cling to things
you can't change.

See you
around the universe.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Come on.

Don't think of it
as losing a girlfriend.

Think of it
as opening up a spot

on your dance-card flexi.

Besides, you've always
got me and Trance.

You think Beka and Rev
will be all right on their own?

Please. No offense,
Mr. Self-involved,

but they were okay
before we met you.

I think it's a pretty good bet
they'll be okay now.

So what's your excuse?

Well, what, are you kidding?

Uh...

The only shot I've got
at evicting my little tenants

is right here.

Besides, you're
the only guy I know

who hates Nietzscheans
more than I do.

Captain, it's Tyr.

He's making his move.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

Lights.

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

The gravity beneath your feet
is strong enough
to hold an umbrite.

You're going nowhere.

On that hand...

you'll always have a scar.

[GRUNTING]

[SOMBRE MUSIC PLAYING]

I'm sorry.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

DYLAN: You can't win
every game.

Maybe not.

That doesn't mean
you simply admit defeat.

Well, there's admitting defeat
and then there's accepting
the inevitable.

You've been losing a lot
in the last month.

If I didn't know better...

Nothing's changed.

Things have changed.

Tyr, Beka, Rev Bem,

and now you've started
to lose worlds.

You can lead a nightsider
to water,

but you can't make him spawn,

and I've got
all the crew I need.

That may not be true
for very long, captain.

Harper's magog eggs
are hatching.

He's calm right now,
but he has one request.

He's convinced
the Perseids have something
that can help him.

We're going to Sinti.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

So you want to
remove the larvae

by folding space?

Alice Strings and tesseracts...

astounding.

If we can work out the specifics
of this technology,

we should be able
to literally mold space and time
to our will.

Yeah, that's the general idea.

Uh, frankly, though,
I'll be happy

if we can just extract
my unwanted guests.

I came as soon as I heard.

Harper's like your family,

and if there's one thing
a Nietzschean understands,
it's loyalty.

I miss you, Beka.

Gaheris...

Please don't think
this means I plan to stay.

It doesn't matter if you stay.

You're here right now.

I think about you...

a lot,

but this thing between us...

it can't work.

Hmm.

Story of my life.

[MELANCHOLIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Thompson! Stam!

Thompson?

Stam?

Captain?

What are you doing here?

This isn't deck 10.

Deck 19.

One minute
you were on deck nine,

the next,
you were 200 meters away.

I saw our crew...

our original crew...

on the ship.

Tell me you've got it
all figured out.

Not all, but we've made
a good start.

Observe.

You want to add
a photonic resonator?

We need it
to maintain absolute control
of the string rotations.

Uh-huh,

because otherwise,
we'll end up
playing Alice String roulette

in the key of f.

This may actually work.

I must say,

two years ago,
if you'd have told me

that someday I'd develop
a cutting-edge application

of string theory

with a human from Earth,

I'd think it as likely
as a Beryllium meteor shower.

All right, all right.
Look, the two of you,

at least pretend
you're not having
so much fun, okay?

Remember, my life is hanging
by a thread here.

Andromeda, Harper, onscreen.

Talk to me.

What is this?

Hey. Well, as far
as the chinheads
and I can figure,

the present weirdness
we're experiencing

is a tiny little...

unintentional side effect
of the tesseract machine.

Fine. Fix it.

I wish I could,
Captain, believe me,

but I don't think we can.

See, the effects seem to
sort of be coming

from the future,

because the machine
isn't exactly finished yet

and it's building itself

Then make it stop. Rhade out.

Oh, dear.
This is all my fault.

I never imagined
the tesseract machine's
side effects

were this disruptive.

I just wish I knew
what we did wrong.

Not did, will do.

These events are emanating
from the future.

Yeah. [GRUNTING]

Oh, dear.

I wish you'd stop saying that.

Let me guess,

cut-and-paste ship.

ROMMIE: Try
cut-and-paste universe.

Time and space are coming apart
at the seams,

and the effects are not
confined to this ship.

I'm getting reports
of tesseract effects from Sinti

and if we can't stop them,
they'll tear the planet apart.

The Perseids are the one ally
you've been able to count on
since day one.

You can't let that happen.

BEKA: Gaheris?

I know I'm not
your favorite person right now,

but did you really have to sic
the entire Kalderan army
on me?

Beka! What the hell?

I've got to go. They...

What the...

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Trance. You'll never guess
who I just met.

A scary futuristic version
of yourself?

She went that way.

[METAL CLANKING AND SCREAMING]

Behind you!

Trance?

Beka.

I forgot how beautiful you were.

Uh, thanks.

You're me from the future.

More or less.

Did everything turn out
the way it was supposed to?

No. Things are bad
and they're getting worse.

I made a lot of mistakes.

So are we going to lose?

At best,
we are not going to win.

You know what we have to do.

Is it the only way?

There is one
perfect possible future,

but I have not seen it yet.

Um, could someone provide me

with a translation, please?

Beka, I have to go,

but don't worry,
I'm not really leaving,

I'm just...changing.

Everything will be okay.
You'll see.

Andromeda, I've found
the tesseract machine.

I'm about to destroy it.

I wouldn't do that
if I were you.

Beka, who the hell is this?

I'm Trance,

and I have come here to tell you
that if you destroy
that machine,

your mission
and everything you have done
to further it,

will have been for nothing.

Your mission
is failing, Captain.

I've had some setbacks,
it's true,

but I don't believe in failure.

That is why we thought
you were the one,

the one to restore
the Commonwealth,

forge civilization
where anarchy once ruled,

lead our armies
into the battle to come.

But you don't
believe that anymore.

No.

I have seen the future, Captain.

I've lived it.

I know what happens.

Your life
can still mean something.

You still have contributions
to make,

but you are not the one.

Then who is?

I think you know who.

Dylan?

Right here, right now,

you have
a very unique opportunity.

To reshape
the entire universe

according to your own will,

and this opportunity
is never going to
come to you again.

You can't know that.

I can still do this.

I can still rebuild
what I helped to destroy.

With no friends?

No allies?

Even as we speak,
Harper and the Perseids
are on their way

to the machine shop,
and one of them
is not going to make it.

Hang on.

Don't. No, don't.
Rhade will kill me.

Come on. No, don't!

[GRUNTING]

[SCREAMING]

Andromeda, status
of Harper and the Perseids.

ANDROMEDA:
In the slipstream core.

Harper and Rekeeb are safe,

but chief technical director
Hohne has fallen to his death.

Understood.

Are you doing this?

No.

It's just the universe.

It is what it is.

You are the only one
who can change that.

[SOMBRE MUSIC PLAYING]

No pressure.

ANDROMEDA: Captain,
more reports from Sinti.

The planet's crust
is literally crumbling apart
from the tesseract effects.

The Perseids have begun
a massive evacuation,

but I doubt they can finish it
in time.

Trust me, Captain, please.

Let me help you
create the future
that you wished for

when you killed
your best friend.

Let me help you save him.

I don't suppose you...

any witty,
but only marginally helpful,

Bon Motsto offer.

No.

I wish I did.

Me too.

But Gaheris,
I have to tell you...

It's too weird
not to be true,

and the situation
is too desperate
for you not to try.

You said you wanted to fix
what you helped destroy.

I guess
what you have to
ask yourself

is how badly do you want that.

Badly enough to kill for?

Badly enough?
Badly enough.

History will judge me a traitor
for what I'm about to do,

but if he fails...

if Dylan fails...

Imagine how they'll judge him.

With silence.

[ROUSING MUSIC PLAYING]

See you around the universe.

[ALARM BLARING]

Are we...

Yes.

Hephaistos,

on a parabolic mission
towards the black hole.

It's the eve
of the Nietzschean uprising.

I remember...

[MELANCHOLIC MUSIC PLAYING]

but so much has happened.

There's so much
for him to understand...

so much for him to know.

Make sure that he does.

It's up to you now.

[MELANCHOLIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Commander!

[ROUSING MUSIC PLAYING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[ALARM BLARING]

Rotate ship to comp...

Commander?

[GROANING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Rhade!

I tried to warn you.

What are you doing?

Ensuring the survival
of my people.

The Commonwealth is weak.

It bargains with its enemies.

It compromises.

My people are engineered
to be perfect,

and the Commonwealth
is no place for the strong.

You have sown the wind.

You shall reap the whirlwind.

You know
what your problem is, Rhade?

You talk too much.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Give up.

You can't win.

I told you before...

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Pessimism is not
a survival trait.

ANDROMEDA: Time dilation
is increasing.

[STRETCHY MUSIC PLAYING]

[GRUNTING]

Gaheris, what have you done?

I'm proud of you.

You should be.

In the hanger deck.

Weird.

I almost feel
like I know the guy.

Must be the cryofumes
getting in my head, huh?

Maybe.

I tell you what, though.

It's a good thing for him
I didn't know him.

Anybody who'd try to kill
his own best friend,

good riddance!

It's not that simple.

It was never about me.

The truth is
I'll never know why
Gaheris did what he did,

but I'd like to think
that he had the best intentions.

Yeah? Well,
good intentions, hell,

you draw the map.

He got what he deserved.

That's not for you or me
to judge.

All I know is...

every man
is the hero of his own story...

even Gaheris Rhade.

[MELANCHOLIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[CLOSING THEME MUSIC PLAYING]